Director of SPNL Assad Serhal has stressed the importance of Lebanon participation in the First Arab States Regional South-South Development EXPO which aims to enrich the international continued dialogue on sustainable development before and after 2015.
The Expo that was held in Doha February 18-20, 2014 was of high significance by which it provided opportunities to demonstrate solutions and enable the sharing of expertise and know-how between more than 500 delegates from 45 different countries in a number of development fields, including domains relating to women and youth, food security, water, energy and renewable energy.
The Expo produced concrete results – sharing experiences, knowledge and technology, and harnessing much needed financial resources. The chosen themes — youth and women’s employment; energy efficiency and renewable energy; water and food security — are critical development challenges, and Southern solutions have an essential role to play.
The Expo was an excellent platform for communication among the owners of solutions and those seeking successful solutions, which would lead to a process of exchange of tangible solutions and experiences among countries in the Arab States region.
The Expo started with a high-level opening ceremony featuring distinguished and powerful champions of South-South cooperation. Attendees included government ministers from
the Arab States region, special representatives of the United Nations Secretary-General, and Heads of United Nations agencies and other prominent multilateral institutions that promote the South-South cooperation agenda in the Arab States region.
Afterwards, the attendees visited the exhibition and the various booths that showcased some of the most successful and innovative development solutions originating from the Arab States region and/or other parts of the global South, whereby SPNL had a strong presence through the provided solution “Al Hima System: A Mean of Women Empowerment ” that is the only solution that was selected from the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality in order to be presented as a successful solution and a modality for South-South Cooperation.
Further, different solutions led by different international organization (IFAD, ILO, UN-ESCWA, UNEP, UNDP, and UN Women) were presented and discussed.
SPNL solution was led by UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, whereby a presentation was given by Ms. Jamal Hamzeh the Project Coordinator of the “Promoting Hima Women Empowerment for Conservation and Livelihood” Programme that is funded by the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality.
The presentation included information about the Society for The Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), partnership between SPNL and the UN Women Fund for Gender Equality, provided solution: “Al Hima System: A Mean of Women Empowerment”, significance of the solution, relevance to South-South countries, exchange activities to optimize on the South-South Cooperation, and finally the role that international actors can play in order to support this SSC.
Positive comments and feedback were given from the different attendees that participated from all over the globe.
Further, an award was given to Ms. Jamal Hamzeh representing the solution, Al Hima System: A Mean of Women Empowerment and the partnership between SPNL and the UNW FGE.
